Today’s Top Stories 1. The French telecom giant, Orange, severed ties with its Israeli subsidiary after CEO Stephane Richard provoked a firestorm by saying he’d cut ties with Israel “tomorrow” if not for the huge penalties that would be incurred. Israeli officials demanded the French government denounce Richard’s boycott call. Partner Communications Ltd, which operates Orange’s Israeli…

Today’s Top Stories 1. Hamas continues cracking down hard on ISIS supporters. But if ISIS popularity continues to rise in Gaza, it could make for some interesting bedfellows, according to the Financial Times (click via Google News). Some regional analysts now speculate that, were Isis’s influence to expand further in Gaza or Egypt’s adjoining Sinai peninsula,…

Today’s Top Stories 1. The Palestinians dropped their bid to kick Israel out of international soccer. Haaretz describes the compromise that was reached with International Federation of Association Football (FIFA) executives: Then, the Congress passed an amended version of the Palestinian proposal, which called for the formation of a committee to look into freedom of…

Today’s Top Stories 1. The corruption scandal in FIFA (I liked how Vox explained this complicated story), punctuated by the arrest of seven high-level officials, will probably kill Palestinian efforts to kick Israel out of international soccer. The Jerusalem Post explains why: Suspending the Jewish state from international play would have rocked world soccer’s boat, inviting allegations…

Today’s Top Stories 1. Amnesty International released a report (summary or full report) on Hamas torture and executions during last year’s Gaza war. According to the report Hamas used Operation Protective Edge as a cover to settle scores with rivals. Many of these unlawful killings were publicly billed as attacks against people assisting Israel during…

Today’s Top Stories 1. FIFA chairman Sepp Blatter is visiting Jerusalem and Ramallah to defuse Palestinian efforts to kick Israel out of international soccer. Blatter reiterated his opposition to any sanctions, and even suggested a peace match. More background at the JTA and Los Angeles Times. One particular point of friction where the Palestinians think they have…

Today’s Top Stories *** Breaking News *** After this roundup was published, clashes broke out between Palestinians and Israeli police ahead of a a traditional Jerusalem Day march. One police officer was reported injured near the Old City’s Damascus Gate. More at the Jerusalem Post, YNet, and Times of Israel. Jerusalem Day marks the anniversary of…

Today’s Top Stories 1. David Cameron was re-elected Prime Minister of Great Britain by a surprisingly wide margin. George Galloway, the UK’s best-known anti-Israel politician, was voted out of Parliament by his Bradford constituency. He’s already in trouble for using his parliamentary aid for personal business and for a tweet that violated election laws. 2. Here’s a…

Today’s Top Stories 1. Might the White House sacrifice Israel’s qualitative military edge for the sake of achieving a nuclear deal with Iran? According to the Wall St. Journal (via Google News), the White House may offer “loose” defense pacts and increased arms sales to the Gulf states for their support of a nuclear deal.…